Lidar Pulse Energy Plan for Thermal Budget Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lidar devices generate excess heat due to inefficiencies in light emitters, which can lead to degradation of components, and existing technologies struggle to balance heat management with the need for increased power in regions of interest for enhanced detection ranges.
Innovation Solution
A pulse energy plan is implemented based on regions of interest and thermal budgets, where the lidar device allocates power to light emitters dynamically, using higher pulse energy levels when scanning regions of interest while limiting heat generation by reducing power in other areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If power is increased to light emitters for enhanced detection range, then detection capability is improved, but heat generation increases causing component degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allocating different power levels to different spatial regions. Regions of interest receive higher power for enhanced detection, while non-critical regions receive reduced power to minimize heat generation. This spatially differentiated power distribution resolves the contradiction between detection capability and heat management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic power adjustment by continuously monitoring thermal conditions and detecting regions of interest, then adapting power allocation in real-time. The system transitions from static uniform power distribution to dynamic region-specific power control, allowing optimization of both detection range and thermal management based on current operational conditions.
2Ease of operation
If uniform power is provided to all light emitters, then simplicity of control is maintained, but thermal management efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scanning field into distinct regions: regions of interest and non-critical regions. This segmentation enables differentiated power control strategies for different areas, improving thermal management efficiency without significantly complicating the control system, as the segmentation is based on geometric or pre-defined criteria.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the system detects regions of interest and monitors thermal conditions, then uses this information to adjust power allocation dynamically. This feedback-driven approach optimizes thermal management efficiency while maintaining relatively simple control logic based on detected spatial and thermal parameters.
3Temperature
If power is reduced to limit heat generation, then thermal budget is managed, but detection range in critical regions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing higher power specifically to regions of interest where detection capability is critical, while reducing power in non-critical regions to manage overall thermal budget. This localized quality differentiation ensures detection range is maintained in critical areas without exceeding thermal constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by applying reduced power only to non-critical regions while maintaining or increasing power to regions of interest. This selective power allocation ensures sufficient detection capability in critical regions while achieving thermal management through power reduction in less important areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively manages thermal budgets, preventing component degradation while maintaining or improving detection ranges in critical regions, thus enhancing the lidar device's performance and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
detecting a returning pulse reflected from an object in the environment
Implementation Method 2
determining a distance to the object according to a time delay between the transmission of the pulse and the reception of the reflected pulse
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of light emitters configured to emit light pulses
Data Source
AI summary
Example embodiments relate to pulse energy plans for light detection and ranging (lidar) devices based on areas of interest and thermal budgets. An example lidar device includes a plurality of light emitters configured to emit light pulses into an environment in a plurality of different emission directions. The lidar device also includes circuitry configured to power the plurality of light emitters. Further, the lidar device includes a plurality of detectors configured to detect reflections of light pulses emitted by the plurality of light emitters. In addition, the lidar device includes a controller configured to (i) determine a pulse energy plan based on one or more regions of interest in the environment and a thermal budget and (ii) control the circuitry based on the pulse energy plan. The pulse energy plan specifies a pulse energy level for each light pulse emitted by each light emitter in the plurality of light emitters.